Ishmeet Singh's body arrives in his hometown

Chandigarh, Jul 30 (UNI) The body of 'Voice of India' Ishmeet Singh, who died in the Maldives last evening, was brought to his hometown here tonight.

The body was flown from New Delhi by a chartered aircraft to the Halwara Air Force base here, where it was received by district officials and family members. Mr Gurprinder Singh Sodhi, the father of Ishmeet accompanied the body from the natinal capital.

The body had arrived in the national capital earlier in the evening by a chartered plane from Male.

Punjab government official on the instructions of the chief minister Parkash Singh Badal received the body at the national capital and made arragnment for flying it to the singers hometown by a charted aircraft and had sought clearance for night flying over Punjab from the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The 19-year-old budding singer, had drowned in the swimming pool at the hotel Chaaya Island Dhonveli in North Male last evening.

The body was taken in a vehicle to the singers Shastri Nagar residence on Pakhowal road where a large crowd of well wishers and friends of the singer were present. The news of the untimely death of Ishmeet had cast a pall of gloom over his hometown.

The body will be kept at the residence of the singer tomorrow for his friends and relatives to pay their last respects. The last rites will be performed tomorrow evening at the Model Town Extension cremation ground.

The Punjab Government has already announced a state funeral for the singer, who had become immensely popular after winning the television contest.

Ishmeet had gone to the Maldives for a concert sponsored by an event management company. His father and mother Amritpal Kaur were informed by the event management company about the tragedy last night.

UNI XC-HS VN2157